Explain why is it that countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Chad, etc., are no better today than they were 30 years ago?

How about some place like Puerto Rico?? Explain why 2/3s of that island is still living the 3rd world life in 2006??

Other than the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany and a few other countries that have moved forward with technology, employment, media, etec., and despite all the money pumped into these under developing countries, they just refuse to move forward. What the hell is wrong with these people?

It can't be the money, God knows with all the money from the US alone these countries should have better schools, roads, factories, housing, food and water supplies. So what is the problem?

We really left Chad hanging a few years ago... they've had it rough ever since.

Quoted: We really left Chad hanging a few years ago... they've had it rough ever since.

I thought we left them pregnant and dimpled!

Quoted: What the hell is wrong with these people?

Culture. Total lack of incentives to start working to get their asses out of the third world.

having traveled most of the world in the last 50 years. Canada, Australia, japan, china, russia, viet nam, thailand, Mexico, brazil, argentina, france, england, north and south afrika, the sudan, Israel, Jordan, Algeria, afganistan greese and turkey,
I know i am missing a few..

what your saying is true..
but,,
Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds..
ARE NOT
about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then,

pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries.
I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time.

the US is the ONLY totally modern society in the world, where all people have nearly everything everybody else has. even the "poor". phone, cars, TV, flush toilets, running water, pretty much a library and hospital in every small town, there are those that dont have, cable, Color tv, Phones, but, usually due to economic reasons not becasue of lack of availibility.
talk to a social worker in the US ask how many of thier clients dont have a TV?
hell, ask how many dont have cell phones......
though in all probability appalachia is still the poorest region in the country.

the governments or forms there of, DO not insure the comfort and mordernization of their people like the US does,

those Left wing, feel good wackos, HAVE NO IDEA what the world is like,,just that we Americans suck and should feel guilty for what we have , what we have accomplished, and what we are capable of..
We HAVE to STOP being the Police force, Mamma and Pappa to the rest of the world YESTERDAY,
and let them all go to hell in their own handbaskets or get off their behinds and get er done!

Iran is LESS modern than it was thirty years ago.  The mullahs have pretty damn well destroyed that country.

As for the U.S. being the "only totally modern society in the world", I think you're mistaking lifestyle choice for impoverished necessity.  The Amish still use horses in the U.S., and a fair number of Alaskans have no place to drive cars.

Quoted: Quoted: We really left Chad hanging a few years ago... they've had it rough ever since. I thought we left them pregnant and dimpled!

Quoted: ...and a fair number of Alaskans have no place to drive cars.

That's okay, once they build the bridge to nowhere they can drive back and forth over that.



- CD

Quoted: Iran is LESS modern than it was thirty years ago.  The mullahs have pretty damn well destroyed that country. As for the U.S. being the "only totally modern society in the world", I think you're mistaking lifestyle choice for impoverished necessity.  The Amish still use horses in the U.S., and a fair number of Alaskans have no place to drive cars.

the amish, the poor, people who live in NY city, lots dont have cars.
Iam talking about the lack of modernization in the rest of the world in relationship to the US.
to choose not to have a tv, phone, car thru personal choice or finacial nessesity relates nothing to my statement..
outside london, seeing a pony cart and the milk delivery is not an uncommon sight today as 200 years ago..
that is my implication.

Quoted: Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time. the US is the ONLY totally modern society in the world, where all people have nearly everything everybody else has. even the "poor". phone, cars, TV, flush toilets, running water, pretty much a library and hospital in every small town, there are those that dont have, cable, Color tv, Phones, but, usually due to economic reasons not becasue of lack of availibility. talk to a social worker in the US ask how many of thier clients dont have a TV? hell, ask how many dont have cell phones...... though in all probability appalachia is still the poorest region in the country.

Keep dreaming.

Countries like Denmark are among the most "wired" and advanced in the world.  I don't think there's a single person in Denmark that doesn't have a freakin' cell phone, pager an internet access.  

No electricity??   Perhaps you're thinking of third-world balkan shitholes like Albania or something.
Pony carts??  

Maybe you wrote "Denmark" by mistake in your list - because otherwise that's about as stupid as a guy last year telling me that Denmark didn't have any troops in Iraq.

Quoted: Quoted: Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time. the US is the ONLY totally modern society in the world, where all people have nearly everything everybody else has. even the "poor". phone, cars, TV, flush toilets, running water, pretty much a library and hospital in every small town, there are those that dont have, cable, Color tv, Phones, but, usually due to economic reasons not becasue of lack of availibility. talk to a social worker in the US ask how many of thier clients dont have a TV? hell, ask how many dont have cell phones...... though in all probability appalachia is still the poorest region in the country. Keep dreaming. Countries like Denmark are among the most "wired" and advanced in the world.  I don't think there's a single person in Denmark that doesn't have a freakin' cell phone, pager an internet access.   No electricity??   Perhaps you're thinking of third-world balkan shitholes like Albania or something. Pony carts??   Maybe you wrote "Denmark" by mistake in your list - because otherwise that's about as stupid as a guy last year telling me that Denmark didn't have any troops in Iraq.

well, though I dont feel I am "stupid" and it has been 25 years since i last visited your fair country,,your  telling me that in the rural areas, they are not behind the times compared to rural areas of America? no one uses the horse/pony cart, i believe oxens were still in use at that time also,.,but, I could be mistaken,,in mentioning Denmark and Sweden both, My main asumption was they were comparable to the US today for the most part. and I do see I phrased that incorrectly..no intent ot insult you fair danes,,and I know there are Danish troops in iraq, and quite good ones to boot...
my bad

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time. the US is the ONLY totally modern society in the world, where all people have nearly everything everybody else has. even the "poor". phone, cars, TV, flush toilets, running water, pretty much a library and hospital in every small town, there are those that dont have, cable, Color tv, Phones, but, usually due to economic reasons not becasue of lack of availibility. talk to a social worker in the US ask how many of thier clients dont have a TV? hell, ask how many dont have cell phones...... though in all probability appalachia is still the poorest region in the country. Keep dreaming. Countries like Denmark are among the most "wired" and advanced in the world.  I don't think there's a single person in Denmark that doesn't have a freakin' cell phone, pager an internet access.   No electricity??   Perhaps you're thinking of third-world balkan shitholes like Albania or something. Pony carts??   Maybe you wrote "Denmark" by mistake in your list - because otherwise that's about as stupid as a guy last year telling me that Denmark didn't have any troops in Iraq. well, though I dont feel I am "stupid" and it has been 25 years since i last visited your fair country,,your  telling me that in the rural areas, they are not behind the times compared to rural areas of America? no one uses the horse/pony cart, i believe oxens were still in use at that time also,.,but, I could be mistaken,,in mentioning Denmark and Sweden both, My main asumption was they were comparable to the US today for the most part. and I do see I phrased that incorrectly..no intent ot insult you fair danes,,and I know there are Danish troops in iraq, and quite good ones to boot... my bad

I phrased my reply poorly - apologies

I lived in Denmark 20 - 25 years ago (and my parents grew up there).  I spent quite a bit of time in rural Denmark (in southern, western and central Jutland - some of the most rural areas of the country, as well as rural areas all over Zealand), and I have NEVER seen any draft animals used in farming at all.  I think I would have remembered seeing OXEN on farms, among the tractors and combines, and I certainly would have remembered seeing horses used in farming.  (Only place I've ever seen horse are in Dutch Pennsylvania, and that's obviously because those people prefer to live in the past).  Now I've seen some pretty damn old tractors, I'll tell you that.  

As another personal example - my working-class grandparents owned a small humble summer-house up in the relatively undeveloped northwestern coast of Zealand in the  (that they built in the 1940s).  (I say built, because my grandpa built it himself, with help from his merchant marine buddies).  That little house had indoor plumbing, electricity, as well as a small garage.  Not exactly primitive conditions.

You are 100% correct if you are talking about a variety of Eastern European countries, and even some states that appear "modern" when you visit the big cities (like Estonia or Lithuania) are extremely primitive out in the country-side.

You are undoubtedly also correct that the average Danish farm is perhaps not quite as mechanized as big commercial U.S. farms, with air-conditioned combines with satellite radio - but that's probably more a matter of economies of scale than anything else.  I believe that if you compared a small family Danish farm to a small family U.S. farm, they'd be similarly advanced in terms of equipment, crops, technique.  Because Denmark is such a small country, with limited agricultural land, it's been necessary for Danish farmers to be very efficient in their use of land, and their methods are quite modern.


Again, sorry if I over-reacted.  

I swear I heard 'America The Beautiful' playing in the background when I read that.

Quoted: having traveled most of the world in the last 50 years. Canada, Australia, japan, china, russia, viet nam, thailand, Mexico, brazil, argentina, france, england, north and south afrika, the sudan, Israel, Jordan, Algeria, afganistan greese and turkey, I know i am missing a few.. what your saying is true.. but,, Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time. the US is the ONLY totally modern society in the world, where all people have nearly everything everybody else has. even the "poor". phone, cars, TV, flush toilets, running water, pretty much a library and hospital in every small town, there are those that dont have, cable, Color tv, Phones, but, usually due to economic reasons not becasue of lack of availibility. talk to a social worker in the US ask how many of thier clients dont have a TV? hell, ask how many dont have cell phones...... though in all probability appalachia is still the poorest region in the country. the governments or forms there of, DO not insure the comfort and mordernization of their people like the US does, those Left wing, feel good wackos, HAVE NO IDEA what the world is like,,just that we Americans suck and should feel guilty for what we have , what we have accomplished, and what we are capable of.. We HAVE to STOP being the Police force, Mamma and Pappa to the rest of the world YESTERDAY, and let them all go to hell in their own handbaskets or get off their behinds and get er done!

I guess my point is to the question asked..
NO where in the world is like the United States of America..No where..
we, the people, fail to see, fail to remember, who we are, how we are made, what created us to be what we are..

Quoted: having traveled most of the world in the last 50 years. Canada, Australia, japan, china, russia, viet nam, thailand, Mexico, brazil, argentina, france, england, north and south afrika, the sudan, Israel, Jordan, Algeria, afganistan greese and turkey, I know i am missing a few.. what your saying is true.. but,, Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time.

Um, where isn't there electricty, phones etc here? About the only place I can think of is in remote indigenous communities, and even then that's a stretch. Even 15 years ago, we were as modern as economically possible. Today, since the "socialist" aspects of government have been scaled right back, we're even further along. Calling the US the only totally modern society is a bit extreme. Japan's more technologically advanced (in the consumer field, at least) than all of us. By holding the US up as the only model of modernity, and then saying "nobody else is as modern as us" is somewhat disingenious.

My parents own a place out near Joshua Tree that has no phone, cable TV, indoor toilets or delivered water or electricty.

Is that third world enough?  

Damn.... I thought your ex girlfriend called.

Quoted: My parents own a place out near Joshua Tree that has no phone, cable TV, indoor toilets or delivered water or electricty. Is that third world enough?

Do they have a few dozen mangy, tumor-covered dogs laying around everywhere?  They're all over Taiwan.

Quoted: Quoted: having traveled most of the world in the last 50 years. Canada, Australia, japan, china, russia, viet nam, thailand, Mexico, brazil, argentina, france, england, north and south afrika, the sudan, Israel, Jordan, Algeria, afganistan greese and turkey, I know i am missing a few.. what your saying is true.. but,, Canada, Australia, Japan, England, France, Germany, Denmark, and still today i believe Sweden, the supposed upper crust of society on the other side of the ponds.. ARE NOT about 15 years ago, I stopped traveling for various reasons. but I dont believe there have been any huge leaps in modernization since then, pony carts, out houses, no t.v, telephone and or electricity is still today NOT uncommon in the rural areas of these countries. I believe it was in 2004 the last place in America, a rural town in Louisana got telephone service for the first time. Um, where isn't there electricty, phones etc here? About the only place I can think of is in remote indigenous communities, and even then that's a stretch. Even 15 years ago, we were as modern as economically possible. Today, since the "socialist" aspects of government have been scaled right back, we're even further along. Calling the US the only totally modern society is a bit extreme. Japan's more technologically advanced (in the consumer field, at least) than all of us. By holding the US up as the only model of modernity, and then saying "nobody else is as modern as us" is somewhat disingenious.

ok, as stated I stopped traveling 15 years ago,,change in life and careers more or less..
and I could be wrong but as you state, "maybe remote indigenous communities" may not have elec or flush toilets..
I believe here the reservations have all that...and yes Perth, Sydney, major cities have it all,,but I recall a town in the outback that had a generator 30 years ago,,that ran the lights and juke box in the local pub and that was pretty much it..
If you get into the rural japenese communities, they are still behind the big cities in what is in the communitieis...
in all probability more for the reason of tradition vs availibility at this point..but again things have changed in 15-20 years, but, at the time of my visits, they were behind the US on these luxuries of living being available to everyone...which is my point...

Yes there are some real ratholes in the world today,,places in eastern europe still in the 1950's maybe, in what they have, some places it is still the stone age and not going to change anytime soon..
the main point is that IN AMERICA, Only YOU are stopping yourself from raising up from the dirt to acheive more..

Maybe God just doesn't like them.

Is it a good thing that people on welfare have cable, huge TVs, cell phones for every member of their family, several good cars, so on, so on....?

Is it a good thing that one can receive welfare for the reason of being too fat to work?

I have seen people trying to buy good steak and crab with food stamps, then getting mad because they were told that they can't buy luxury foods.
I overheard later that the steak was for their dog. WTF!

IMHO, NO

ETA, From my experience this also is only in America, too.
Of course, I have nothing against welfare for those who truly deserve it, but there are too many scum receiving it as well.

Quoted: My parents own a place out near Joshua Tree that has no phone, cable TV, indoor toilets or delivered water or electricty. Is that third world enough?

Has anyone else ever been there except for Marines passing thru?

It takes an incredible amount of GNP, personal wealth, industrial production capability, etc to build and maintain the type of lifestyle and comforts we have here. Your average third world country cant build or maintain it with the resources they have available to them.